Sept. 29, 2022

The Missouri Highway Safety and Traffic Conference in Columbia drew in hundreds of safety advocates from across the state earlier this week. With a primary focus on education, enforcement, engineering and emergency response, few rocks were left unturned when discussing the many safety challenges faced on Missouri’s roadways. 

The conference exists to support Show-Me Zero, Missouri's strategic highway safety plan. Show-Me Zero aims to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries on Missouri roadways by focusing on four key areas: occupant protection, distracted driving, speed and aggressive driving, and impaired driving. The multi-faceted approach of Show-Me Zero promotes a shared responsibility to create safer roadways based on a simple idea: no one can do everything, but everyone can do something.

Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe and MoDOT Deputy Director and Chief Engineer Ed Hassinger welcomed the nearly 500 attendees to the conference, where speakers shared powerful personal stories and promoted innovative behavioral and infrastructure solutions. The conference serves as an annual reminder and motivation for the important work of so many people across Missouri to save lives.

Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe welcomes conference attendees.

“It’s always good for us to take time and gather as a state for the purpose of making Missouri safer,” said Nicole Hood, state highway safety and traffic engineer for MoDOT. “The conference helps bring into focus the work we do, and it also inspires us to continually seek new opportunities to get better.”

A safer Missouri is a better Missouri. Changing the landscape of traffic fatalities in Missouri requires contributions from every individual who uses the transportation system, and the conference serves as a great platform for learning how to do this in communities throughout the state.

Click here to learn more about Show-Me Zero and view the full plan.

Effective Sept. 15, changes were made to the following policies:

• Personnel Policy 2500, "Standard Rules of Conduct"
• Clarified that certain articles of clothing that do not have the MoDOT logo on them (e.g. MoDOT safety boots, safety glasses, safety vests, and hard hats) may become the property of the employee after use by the employee.

• Personnel Policy 2514, “Conflict of Interest”
• Clarified that certain articles of clothing that do not have the MoDOT logo on them (e.g. MoDOT safety boots, safety glasses, safety vests and hard hats) may become the property of the employee after use by the employee.
• Added that being a poll worker is not a conflict of interest.

• Personnel Policy 3512, “Family and Medical Leave”
• Updated language to reflect the use of FMLA as stated in Personnel Policy 6508, “Domestic and Sexual Violence” for an employee or a member of their household who is a victim of domestic or sexual violence.
• Updated with inclusive language.
• Updated Form FMLA1 requiring a signature from Human Resources replacing the supervisor’s signature.
• Updated the FMLA Leave Reference Chart to reflect Domestic and Sexual Violence as qualifying events.

• Personnel Policy 3502, “Military Service or Training Leave”
• Updated with inclusive language.

Earlier this week, the Governor's Office held its sixth cycle of the Show Me Challenge. This challenge continues to bring together state team members from across Missouri's 16 executive departments to pitch solutions that improve system and processes across state government.

Intermediate Human Resources Specialist Destiny Blume.

First place went to the team Show Me's Got Talent, which included one MoDOT team member as well as members from the Office of Administration and Department of Revenue. The team's winning idea was to implement a statewide employee referral program that incentivizes team members to advocate for and endorse jobs to quality applicants, positively impacting the hiring and retention of team members.

Congratulations to Intermediate Human Resources Specialist Destiny Blume, who represented MoDOT on the winning team!

Click here to view a video from all the finalist teams sharing what the Show Me Challenge means to them.

Stay tuned for the next Show Me Challenge competition, which will launch in spring 2023. For more information about the Challenge, go to showmechallenge.mo.gov.

Throughout the month of October, the Human Resources Employee Development Team is promoting courses that include a focus on sending and receiving feedback.

Having just held an ENGAGE 2.0 review period, it's expected there will be a lot of conversations regarding performance and feedback. Please review these courses to help utilize these evaluations:

• Asking for Feedback as an Employee
• Delivering Feedback as an Employee
• How to Give and Receive Feedback Every Month
• Tips for a Great Feedback Conversation

Questions? Contact your Local Human Resources representative.

Take a deep breath with myStrength. This free, online and mobile program is your go-to resource for emotional well-being and peace of mind.

You can access tools and resources to deal with depression, sleep problems, stress, addiction, chronic pain and more.

Track your health, enjoy activities and become inspired. Start today!

Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, Southeast District Engineer Mark Croarkin, Deputy Director/Chief Engineer Ed Hassinger and Missouri Highways & Transportation Commissioner Dustin Boatwright were joined by legislators and local officials to kick off the U.S. Route 67/Future Interstate 57 project in Butler County. A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the first phase of construction, which includes upgrading the Route 160/158 interchange south of Poplar Bluff. The interchange will be reconfigured with two roundabouts in place of the current loop ramps in the northwest and southeast quadrants. Construction is currently underway, with completion of the first phase anticipated in November 2023. Photo courtesy of the Office of the Missouri Lieutenant Governor.

Gov. Parson visits the Southwest District. The event took place Wednesday, Sept. 14 at Interstate 44 and Missouri Route 744/Mulroy Road in Springfield, which is a newly completed pavement improvement and bridge rehabilitation project. During the event, Gov. Parson (center) and Missouri Highways & Transportation Commissioner Gregg Smith (right of Gov. Parson) spoke about the importance of investing in infrastructure projects.

Following the floods throughout Northwest Missouri in 2019, many of the projects immediately after waters receded were to repair the region’s damaged bridges and roadways. After the initial repairs, remediation projects got underway to help prevent or mitigate the damage from future flooding events. Borrowing an idea from the Iowa Department of Transportation’s flood remediation efforts, the Northwest District is employing a new-to-Missouri technology: grid tied block mat.

The mats are anchored under the pavement shoulder and into the ground to stabilize the slopes and prevent undermining of the downstream edge of the roadway pavement during flooding events. After installation, the mats will be covered with 10 inches of soil to help provide a recoverable slope. The mats have proven durability and have even been used in hurricane-prone areas, withstanding the force of wind and water tropical storms can bring.

In late summer 2022, contractors began actively grading and have now begun grid tied block mat installation on U.S. Route 159 in Holt County. Preparatory grading is in progress on portions of Holt County Route 111 and on Atchison County U.S. Route 136 where mat installation is planned for later this fall.

The slopes along U.S. Route 159 in Holt County have been graded and material laid in the cut-off trench to keep floodwaters from undermining the two overlapping grid tied block mats that will be placed on top. 

After the matt is pinned and anchored, it is covered by 10 inches of soil, and a concrete anchor block will be poured at the top.

After the mat is placed, it’s pinned and anchors are driven into the ground. Click the photo above to see a short clip of an anchor being driven. 

Earlier this month, the Northeast District held their annual Day of Remembrance ceremonies to honor those district employees who lost their lives on the job.

William “Art” Walker’s daughter, Marilyn, was two years old when he was killed in 1954. She has attended the Day of Remembrance Ceremony in Macon nearly every year, driving all the way from Gilman City. “I don’t remember him, but I appreciate the fact that he is remembered by the agency, and I’m grateful I’m able to attend your Day of Remembrance most years,” she said.

Although it’s been nearly 50 years since Judy Couch’s brother, Danny Leaker, has been gone, she has attended the Hannibal ceremony almost without fail to lay a flower on the memorial on his behalf.

Marilyn Ward, daughter of fallen worker William "Art" Walker, places a carnation on the fallen worker memorial in Macon.

Several years ago, a group of employees from the former District 3 wrote a poem to honor our fallen workers, and during each ceremony, this poem is read aloud. While each fallen employee’s name is read, an orange carnation is placed on the memorial, a prayer is written and shared by a fellow employee, and either a song is sung by an employee or a member of the American Legion plays Taps below the American flag. A moment of silence allows all those in attendance to remember those who gave their life in public service - even those they did not personally know.

Judy Couch, sister of fallen worker Danny Leaker, places a carnation on the fallen worker memorial in Hannibal.

The mission of Connections is to be a source of MoDOT news

and feature articles that connect employees statewide.

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Editor: Sr. Communications Specialist Bethany Belt

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